Typical Wolves, as many of their drained supporters will no doubt have remarked as they left the ground. Two goals in the first half, created by the impressive French midfielder Bakary Sako and scored from close range by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Richard Stearman, appeared to have put them in complete control, only to be followed by a second-half performance in which the sense of panic under pressure was palpable.

Even in only his fifth league game in charge, the Wolves manager Stale Solbakken must be feeling that the story is increasingly familiar. Having brought in seven new signings to make up for the summer departure of Steven Fletcher, Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly, among others, the Norwegian is some way from finding a solution for the defensive frailties which characterised Wolves' last season in the Premier League. He acknowledged as much after Paul Konchesky's second-half screamer for Leicester prompted a spell during which David Nugent came within inches of equalising and Martyn Waghorn drove a shot against the post.

"You could very much see it was a team not used to winning – they got a little bit anxious, made some stupid mistakes, defended too deep and too narrow," Solbakken said. "All the good organisation we had in the first half we lost in the second, but we fought well, we blocked shots in our penalty area and we have something to build on."

It looked a certain three points for the home side after the 24-year-old Sako, bought from St Etienne towards the end of the transfer window, delivered a beautifully curling free-kick for Ebanks-Blake to head past City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel from no more than five yards after 13 minutes. It was Sako's corner seven minutes later which resulted in Wolves going two up. Headed on by Kevin Doyle, the ball fell nicely for Stearman, coming in at the back post, to volley down and past the exposed Schmeichel.

Leicester, among the bookmakers' favourites for promotion before the season started but now beaten in all three of their away games, looked totally out of sorts, but they were given a way back into the match by the veteran full-back Konchesky, whose sweetly struck shot from all of 30 yards beat Wolves' goalkeeper Carl Ikeme high to his left.

Having admitted his annoyance at the manner in which his side conceded from two set-plays, the City manager Nigel Pearson said he was not displeased with many aspects of his side's performance. "We have to start producing winning situations more often, and we will do because we have the nucleus of a very good side," insisted Pearson.

"I've not known a side create as many chances as we have, but the margins are very small. We don't have the points we hoped we'd have, but if we get the performances right often enough, everything else will fall into place."

Solbakken said Bako's potential was clear: "When he gets a little bit fitter he'll be a better two-ways player, he'll be able to defend better position-wise on the left, but with the ball and with his shots he'll cause teams problems."